History Main / InNameOnly

* On a broader note, ''[[Fanfic/TheConversionBureauTheChatoverse The Chatoverse]]'' shares little more than superficial trappings of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' with the only things really linking it to the show being names and species.

* On a broader note, ''[[TheConversionBureauTheChatoverse The Chatoverse]]'' shares little more than superficial trappings of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' with the only things really linking it to the show being names and species.

* The Meat Puppets' ''Golden Lies'' was originally intended to be an entirely new Curt Kirkwood project called Royal Neanderthal Orchestra, hence his being the only original member of the band involved. As with the Red House Painters example, this is because he couldn't get the label to put the album out without the Meat Puppets name attached to it. ''Golden Lies'' was at least in a similar style to what the Meat Puppets had been doing in the mid-90's, albeit with a somewhat heavier sound and the curious addition of some RapRock influences. This lineup of the band also put out a LiveAlbum that was a mix of ''Golden Lies'' material and older Meat Puppets songs.

** Darth Vader in canon TheHeavy who is quick to [[YouHaveFailedMe execute any underlings who fail him]] and is perfectly willing to murder his own son if he refuses to join him. Here, he acts like a doting mother towards Luke, whom he has no idea is related to him, to the extent of ''singing lullabies to him'' when the young man is injured. While in canon, Vader ruthlessly killed Admiral Piett for bungling an attack on the rebels and nearly murdered Admiral Motti for insulting him, this Vader doesn't do more than glare at Piett for openly defying him at every turn.

** The [[WesternAnimation/Shrek1 first movie]] does keep the essentials of the original Creator/WilliamSteig [[Literature/{{Shrek}} book]] (a fairytale satire about a disgusting ogre who befriends a donkey and marries an ugly princess) but otherwise has a very different story.

[-[[caption-width-right:350:Left: [[Film/TheMightyDucks A film about a down-on-its-luck hockey team's journey to stardom.]][softreturn]Right: [[WesternAnimation/MightyDucksTheAnimatedSeries An animated series about hockey-playing duck superheroes.]]]]-]

* The Musical ''Theatre/BringItOn'' has basically no relation to any movie of that name, except that they're all about a cheerleader.

* ''WesternAnimation/ChickenhareAndTheHamsterOfDarkness'' has nothing to do with the ''ComicBook/{{Chickenhare}}'' graphic novels, aside from the fact that the main character is a half chicken/half hare FunnyAnimal and his turtle friend is named Abe. There's also a female character named Meg, but instead of being a half demon, she appears as a skunk. Instead of following the original source, it's a family film about an [[{{Film/IndianaJones}} Indiana Jones-esque]] hero who looks for a treasure with his friends, hoping to earn some respect from the people who bully him. Not to mention that the main character looks like [[{{WesternAnimation/Zootopia}} Judy Hopps's]] lost mutant brother, which suggests that the filmmakers are milking the furry wave ignited by Disney.

[[AC:''Film/OmenIVTheAwakening'']]

* The ''ComicBook/ChallengersOfTheUnknown'' keep being reinvented. In the 1991 miniseries by Creator/JephLoeb and Tim Sale Prof was dead, Rocky was an alcoholic, Ace was Comicbook/DoctorStrange and Red was Franchise/{{Rambo}}. The 1996 series by Steven Grant introduced an entirely new team, as did the 2004 miniseries by Creator/HowardChaykin. And in the ComicBook/{{New 52}}, Creator/DanDiDio creates a group of nine characters with the names of the original and 1996 Challengers, but none of the personalities.

** Of particular note is Dr. Otto Octavius, one of the primary antagonists of ''Comicbook/SpiderManNoir: Eyes Without a Face''. ''Noir'''s version of the character is a sickly, emaciated, wheelchair-bound neurologist. He's a white South African, a Nazi sympathizer, and heir to a large fortune. His actions are motivated by racism. The only thing he has in common with mainline Dr. Octopus is the use of mechanical arms, in this case surgical aids attached to his chair.

* Back in the early 2000s, Creator/{{Marvel|Comics}} decided to radically revamp two titles -- ''Comicbook/XForce'' and ''Comicbook/{{Thunderbolts}}''. ''X-Force'' went from the exploits of a mutant paramilitary team to the exploits of a completely different mutant celebrity superhero team obsessed with fame. The title was well-received critically, partially because it inverted the whole "hated and feared" aspect of mutant culture -- after 14 issues it was relaunched as ''ComicBook/XStatix''. ''Thunderbolts'', on the other hand, went from the tales of a team of former supervillains seeking redemption to following an underground fight ring centered around C-list villains. This change was much less well-received.

** The second time it was retconned to fit into the new continuity created by Comicbook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths. Alan Scott, for instance, was revealed to have received his power from the Starheart, an artifact created by the Guardians of the Universe (i.e., the same guys who made the Franchise/GreenLantern rings), and Jay Garrick and Barry Allen were later revealed to both have received their power from the "speed force".

** The same is true for Wally West. He was still Iris West's nephew, but he now had a RaceLift and an AgeLift; the latter was a problem, because it meant that he had no connection to his former friends like Dick Grayson, who were still portrayed as adults post-reboot. He was also a hoodlum with a more sullen personality. Eventually Comicbook/DCRebirth brought the original Wally back and {{Ret Con}}ned the new version into his same-named cousin (though a later retcon undid the "cousin" aspect and confirmed the newer Wally was literally meant to replace the original).

* Marvel's many versions of ComicBook/{{Captain Marvel|MarvelComics}} often don't have a lot to do with each other; some share a vague connection to the Kree or Mar-Vell, but Monica Rambeau in particular had basically nothing to do with any of it, especially at her debut. This is largely due to the original owner of the name in the Marvel Universe being [[DeaderThanDead pretty permanently dead]], but also Marvel wanting to retain the trademark ([[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} if only to keep DC from snapping it up]]), and therefore the name got passed around a lot. ComicBook/CarolDanvers seems to have finally locked down the mantle, though, and is sort of a LegacyCharacter to Mar-Vell, so it looks like things have worked out.

* In the Comicbook/AmalgamUniverse, there's a team called X-Patrol, which, in theory, is Comicbook/XForce merged with Comicbook/DoomPatrol. In practice, important members of both teams were AdaptedOut, while characters who aren't related to the teams were added to the mix. The ''only'' character who really is a pure result of [one X-Force's member + one Doom Patrol's member] is the team's leader Niles Cable, who's Cable (from X-Force) merged with Niles Caulder (from Doom Patrol). Elasti-Girl, being a merge of her DC's namesake with Domino, ''would'' also qualify... if she hadn't [[ComicBook/TheWasp Janet van Dyne]] added to the combination, to the point of being her civilian name.

* Music/DirEnGrey is a particularly interesting case; while the band's lineup hasn't changed since its inception, [[NewSoundAlbum every other album sounds like it's been done by a different band]]. Yep, the same guys who wrote the VisualKei CultClassic ''Gauze'' are the exact same guys who wrote the TechnicalDeathMetal album ''Dum Spiro Spero''.

* Aside from the original, the various ''Franchise/YuGiOh'' mangas are not adaptations, being more or less independent of their respective [[AnimeFirst anime franchises]]. They do share character names and appearances, and often elements of the broad concept (''Manga/YuGiOhGX'' still takes place in Duel Academia and involves Winged Kuriboh, for instance), but the actual narrative, worldbuilding, character backgrounds, personalities, relationships, and even deck themes are all vastly different. Secondary characters in particular tend to have nothing in common with their original selves barring looks. It tends to feel like someone being told to write a story with nothing to go on but the character designs and premise.

* ''WebVideo/DrJekyllAndMrHydeTheGameTheMovie'' markets itself as a faithful adaptation of [[Literature/TheStrangeCaseOfDrJekyllAndMrHyde the Robert Louis Stevenson novel]], it has about as much in-common with the book as [[VideoGame/DrJekyllAndMrHyde the game]] did (which the film is an actual adaptation of).

* ''ComicBook/{{Demon Days|MarvelComics}}'', an Elseworld story by Japanese illustrator Peach Momoko, uses a lot of characters inspired by characters in the Marvel universe -- Sai is a version of ComicBook/{{Psylocke}}, [=JuJu=] is a version of ComicBook/JubileeMarvelComics, Hulkmaru is an {{Oni}}-version of [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk the Hulk]]. But that's pretty much where the similarities end -- for example, Logan is there, but he's Sai's [[CanineCompanion dog]] and Venom is a [[SnakesAreSinister giant snake demon]].
* While the ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' comic did turn the Condiment King from ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' into a CanonImmigrant, all he really had in common is the gimmick. [[AdaptationNameChange The original character was named Buddy Standler, whereas the comic one was named Mitchell Mayo]]. And that's not the only difference: Standler was stocky and Mayo [[LeanAndMean thin]], [[AgeLift Standler was an adult and Mayo started off a teenager]], [[AdaptationalJobChange Standler was a comedian and Mayo worked in fast food]], Standler wore mostly blue and white, while Mayo was RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver; and most importantly, Standler was a one-shot character who was BrainwashedAndCrazy into a HarmlessVillain by the Joker in one of his more EvilIsPetty moods, while [[AdaptationalVillainy Mayo is willingly a villain]] [[AdaptationalBadass who eventually became a]] NotSoHarmlessVillain.

* ''ComicBook/HeroesReborn2021'' has nothing to do with the original ''ComicBook/HeroesReborn''. The original spun out of ''ComicBook/{{Onslaught}}'' and put ComicBook/TheAvengers and ComicBook/FantasticFour in a pocket universe (and the hands of Creator/RobLiefeld and Creator/JimLee) for about a year real time. The 2021 event spins off from ''ComicBook/TheAvengersJasonAaron'' and involves Mephisto's version of the ComicBook/SquadronSupreme and alterations to reality in the main Marvel Universe. Likewise, this also applies to the one-shot ending the 2021 event, ''Heroes Return'', whereas the original ''ComicBook/HeroesReturn'' was about the Avengers and Fantastic Four returning to their home universe (and specifially in the article's case, the Avengers reforming).

* Dacre Stoker's book ''Literature/DraculaTheUnDead'' is a case of the trope being applied to the concept of the book being an "authorised" sequel, as Dracula has been in the public domain for more than a century in both the US and its country of origin. As such, ''anyone'' can create their own take on Dracula's story, including the creation of sequels. There also some who believe that, given how much the book changed from the original novel, that the book itself also qualifies for the trope in general.

* Dacre Stoker's book ''Dracula: The Un-Dead'' is a case of the trope being applied to the concept of the book being an "authorised" sequel, as Dracula has been in the public domain for more than a century in both the US and its country of origin. As such, ''anyone'' can create their own take on Dracula's story, including the creation of sequels. There also some who believe that, given how much the book changed from the original novel, that the book itself also qualifies for the trope in general.

* The ''Chickenhare'' animated film has nothing to do with the original graphic novel, aside from the fact that the main character is a half chicken/half hare FunnyAnimal and his turtle friend is named Abe. There's also a female character named Meg, but instead of being a half demon, she appears as a skunk. Instead of following the original source, it's a family film about an [[{{Film/IndianaJones}} Indiana Jones-esque]] hero who looks for a treasure with his friends, hoping to earn some respect from the people who bully him. Not to mention that the main character looks like [[{{WesternAnimation/Zootopia}} Judy Hopps's]] lost mutant brother, which suggests that the filmmakers are milking the furry wave ignited by Disney.

** The [[WesternAnimation/Shrek1 first movie]] does keep the essentials of the original William Steig book (a fairytale satire about a disgusting ogre who befriends a donkey and marries an ugly princess) but otherwise has a very different story.

* The 2008 reformation of Captain Jack bears no resemblance musically to their predecessors. (Francisco Gutierrez, the original FaceOfTheBand, passed away in 2005)

* Though [[WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDameDisney the Disney version]] of ''Literature/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'' is often accused of {{Disneyfication}}, it has absolutely nothing on [[WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDameGoldenFilms the Golden Films version]] [[{{Mockbuster}} released the same year]]. It takes place in Notre Dame Cathedral, the plot involves a hunchback named Quasimodo falling in love with a Romani woman, the antagonist's name includes "Claude", and there's a character named Pierre. ''Everything else'' is different. For some idea, the Esmerelda character is named Melody and has the ability to bring musical instruments to life (said talking instruments serve as the film's main comic relief and are arguably the focal characters), Quasimodo is not deformed but rather a handsome man whose hunchback arose from difficult work and is corrected with better posture, and the film's antagonist is Jean-Claude and is essentially an {{Expy}} of [[WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast Gaston]] with the twist of being Quasimodo's half-brother. The film ends with Quasimodo and Melody getting together and living happily ever after--the original has a complete DownerEnding, and even the Disney film famously ends with DidNotGetTheGirl.